Dear Colleagues,
Students are returning to campus this week, and everyone is gearing up for the new school year. I’d like to recognize the efforts of our dedicated faculty and staff who make sure our students feel welcome and are ready to learn. Thank you.
A college degree is more than the sum of knowledge imparted and skills acquired over a course of studies. The true measure is revealed as information is internalized and develops into a deeper understanding your students can apply in and out of the classroom. When framed by your exemplary leadership and shaped by the values of integrity, respect, and inclusion, these lessons provide students with a lifetime of resources and guideposts to navigate life’s challenges.
In turn, we also learn from and adapt to our students who enrich our teaching with their diversity of ideas and experiences. Innovation is not just a byword for, or byproduct of, technological progress. Innovation relates to improved value and is a driver for quality in everything we do.
To help harness the full power and range of innovation, we are delighted to welcome Kathi Kern, our inaugural vice provost of educational innovation. Kathi is preparing to welcome more than 150 talented new faculty members who are participating in the Platform for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (PETAL) orientation, which highlights teaching excellence and offers resources for faculty to improve their instructional skills. Also joining us is David Yellen,
dean of the School of Law. David is immersed in learning about and from the law school’s students, faculty, and staff as he, too, seeks to propel innovation.
Campus safety is a priority, and we continue to monitor COVID-19 and other health risks. You can review the University’s latest guidelines, and we will communicate any changes as needed. The past couple of years have been challenging, and we are grateful for all your efforts to ensure that our students and you continue to thrive. Your well-being is important, and your students depend on you and appreciate your interest in their well-being.
Our decision to be teachers and scholars is rooted in a profound belief in our potential to have a beneficial impact on the future. With your help and inspiration, your students are building a resilient foundation on which their professional, personal, and social development will evolve and flourish for decades to come. You are also helping your students build a strong and lasting bridge to the U.
Welcome back, and here’s to a phenomenal school year. |
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